Posted on 10/17/2004 2:17:55 PM PDT by Jim Wilson 1
There is no getting around it in my opinion. The Republican position on health care is a weak one. I recommend that the president steer clear of making statements on the issue and seriously consider pulling his ads on it. Although an alternative to a government run health care system (as envisioned by the Democrats) would be desirable, just letting the current situation fester with virtually no government regulation is getting us nowhere fast. In her study of the health care industry, Hillary Clinton refused to address the issue of doctor greed, probably because many liberal doctors are among her most ardent supporters and friends. She placed all the blame for rising health care costs on hospitals, drug companies, and the insurance industry. President Bush, in contrast, has singled out trial lawyers and fraudulent malpractice suits as his personal whipping boy. Neither of these views, I believe, is honestly addressing the basic problem we are facing.
Doctors should not be in it for the money. They should be drawn from idealistic stock who want to help people, just as was envisioned by Hippocrates. It has gotten so bad these days that catastrophic health issues are no longer the major concern. You can't even have a minor procedure done without having to go back two or three times, paying through the nose for each visit until the doctor has made enough off of you to finally fix the problem. These guys have gotten to be no better than your average cynical auto mechanic who is out to nail your butt anytime you face the misfortune of a broken down vehicle that you are unable or unwilling to fix yourself. True, today's doctors simply reflect the state of our society, in general, where in the name of the unregulated free market, anything goes. As such, I've never been a big fan of businessmen or business interests for this very reason. The cost of living keeps going up and up largely because of this attitude that you should try to get the most for your goods or services regardless of what is truly a fair price. No doubt there are dozens of people on this forum who will argue the position that the marketplace alone should be allowed to determine the price of things, but this is precisely how we got into the fix we are in with regard to the skyrocketing cost of health care, and health care must be seen as more important, too important a commodity to be dealt with in the same manner as most everything else.
The American Medical Association limits the number of new doctors that are graduated each year and controls the mindset of those who are admitted to medical schools. Trust me, idealists who want to help their fellow man are discouraged in favor of those with comfortably bourgeois attitudes. In a society where money equals power, it was decided long ago that the more money the medical industry brings into its coffers, the better for all concerned. Who pays for this "pragmatic perspective?" Why, the American consumer, that's who. I think the health care industry absolutely MUST BE SEEN as a critical industry where government regulation of pricing, at the very least, is demanded. Dishonest doctors who are manipulating their patients for material gain rather than curing them as quickly as possible for the lowest possible price should be fined or have their licenses pulled. There is no need to sue everyone in sight for malpractice. Just get rid of the bad apples to begin with by taking the profit out of the game.
Oooo, the voice of experience.
Jim, what is your profession? Please insert your profession into your article and see if it makes more sense to you why you might be called a troll.
Yes, I AM the voice of experience. And you are busted, socialist troll.
Grow up.
Doctors should be doctors for whatever reason they choose to be doctors. I don't care why someone is a doctor, just so long as I get quality care. Health care is expensive because of government, not inspite of government.
Pretty lame reply, kid. Is that all you've got?
Plumbers, auto mechanics, and carpenters should not be in it for the money. They should be drawn from idealistic stock who want to help people, just as was envisioned by Marx and Engel.
Pretty lame reply, kid. Is that all you've got?
That's funny. Mr. Jeeves thinks it's laughable to expect doctors to live up to the Hippocratic Oath. What the hell does it have to do with the Soviet Union?
Grow up.
Mortgage bankers, electricians and small business owners should be in their profession because they are gleaned from idealistic stock and want to help people. There shouldn't be profit in anything because we should all want to be of maximum service to our fellow man. /sarcasm
Better yet, we the enlightened literati should decide who is to be an auto mechanic, or carpenter and start training them at an early age. That is so much better for everyone and it will guarantee we never have too many auto mechanics or carpenters.
Is this an example of the thousands of posts you've posted on Usenet groups? No wonder you were able to accumulate so many!
Try basing your opinion of the health care industry in economics rather than emotion...JFK
If you don't know what your post has to do with the (failed) Soviet Union, you're too ignorant to post on FR.
I guy who assumes I'm ignorant, assumes I'm a liberal, and probably assumes he's my elder is talking about "nuance" in one's thought processes? Hmmm.
I freely admit that I thought I'd never see such a classist, crypto-communist statement here on FR.
To call you a troll would be demeaning to honest, hard-working trolls everywhere.
Pinko.
Yes, and medical school costs a bundle, as well. Still, these significant obstacles are not insurmountable and don't seem to keep your average doc (or dentist) from becoming a millionaire well before they hit middle age. Are such realities what you call "ignorance?"
You are so totally ignorant that it isnt funny. A millionaire well before middle age? I am assuming that you mean roughly 35 years old. Only the best and brightest make that kind of money in that amount of time. Are you even aware of how many years it takes to complete medical school? An internship? Anything? You really should get an education in economics. It would prevent you from looking like such a hateful moron, even anonymously on internet forums...JFK
How much have you contributed to Republican campaigns this year? How many emails and letters to the media or to our elected officials have you written on their behalf? How many calls to talk shows have you made? Or do you just hang out on this forum full of like-minded folks who can't stand to hear anything they don't automatically agree with? Try your luck over on Usenet awhile. See how long you last.
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